News

Homecoming regent takes initiative in and out of classroom

To Lavar Green-Jackson, being a leader is about contributing ideas
and taking initiative both in the classroom and in the community. To
honor his role as a leader at Grand Valley, Green-Jackson was selected
as the 2018 homecoming regent.

Green-Jackson is a senior majoring in behavioral neuroscience and an
active member of the campus community.

He serves as a resident assistant, a peer mentor for TRIO Student
Support Services and a student assistant in the Office of
Undergraduate Research and Scholarship. He is also a member of two
student organizations, Black Male Scholars and Spanish Club, and he
plays intramural sports.

Green-Jackson is a lab assistant for Glenn Valdez, associate
professor of psychology. They are currently conducting a research
study on alcoholism with the goal of understanding why people
experience depressive symptoms after long-term alcohol withdrawal.

For Green-Jackson, the best part of being an engaged and involved
leader at GVSU is the university community.

“I chose not to go to any big schools, because I really value the
Grand Valley community,” Green-Jackson. “As soon as I came to Grand
Valley orientation, I met one of the orientation leaders, and they
really just took me in. They said, 'If you ever need any help, reach
out to me,' and gave me their cell phone number. Just small things
like that really made me feel like a Laker.”

Green-Jackson will graduate in December 2019 and plans to attend
graduate school to study neuropsychology.